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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26127988">A Gift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EbbaTriesToWrite/pseuds/EbbaTriesToWrite'>EbbaTriesToWrite</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Kinda, Sad Ending, accidantal assisted suicide, sorta? idk maybe?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:07:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26127988</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EbbaTriesToWrite/pseuds/EbbaTriesToWrite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Fuck you.” Nicky pushed him back and pulled out the knife, quick and clean, he didn’t actually want to hurt Booker. “We’re done for today.” </p><p>He turned on his heel, frowning a little when he heard Booker keep coughing, a wet sound to it, but he kept walking. Well, until he heard Booker laugh and he twisted around, ready to yell or reprimand or something else, he wasn’t quite sure. But any words he could have mustered died on his tongue when he realised what he was seeing. </p><p>“I’m not healing.” Booker laughed, swaying a bit on the spot, looking down at his front that was already soaked in blood.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Booker | Sebastien le Livre &amp; Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>225</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nicky dodged out of the way but Booker still managed to nick his arm and he hissed at the sting of the cut. He could feel it closing already and threw his own knife into the air to grab it with his free hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure why he decided to call Booker out into the yard for some one on one training but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. But now that they were fighting each other with a knife each - just to make things a bit more interesting -, it reminded him of the pain that Booker’s actions had caused. They had let him come back early because of Quynh and if Nicky was being honest he had always known they wouldn’t be able to stay apart for the full century. The anger had lessened by the time he rejoined them but it came back every once in a while. Like when Joe would wake up gasping from nightmares or when Booker would say something particularly depressing, a reminder of what he had done and what he might do again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nicky managed to land a punch to Booker’s face and blood immediately started flowing from his nose but Booker just grinned as he backed up, teeth stained red, “You needed to get some anger out, huh?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess.” Nicky panted, they must have been going at this for an hour already. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So how badly do you want to beat me up?” Booker raised a challenging brow and Nicky felt anger course through him, it wasn’t the first time Booker had tried to make light of their hurt and he really couldn’t understand it.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you like this?” he hissed as he advanced, knife tightly clutched in his hand. Booker side stepped and if Nicky hadn’t been as quick as he was he would have landed a hit to his neck. Nicky threw out his foot and managed to make Booker lose his footing ever so slightly and it was the exact opening he needed to plunge the knife into his chest, right below his collar bone, “Why do you want us angry?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because I deserve it.” Booker groaned, coughing up a little blood, Nicky must have hit his lung, “And you guys need it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you.” Nicky pushed him back and pulled out the knife, quick and clean, he didn’t actually want to hurt Booker. “We’re done for today.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned on his heel, frowning a little when he heard Booker keep coughing, a wet sound to it, but he kept walking. Well, until he heard Booker laugh and he twisted around, ready to yell or reprimand or something else, he wasn’t quite sure. But any words he could have mustered died on his tongue when he realised what he was seeing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not healing.” Booker laughed, swaying a bit on the spot, looking down at his front that was already soaked in blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit!” Nicky rushed towards him and the smile slipped off Booker’s face, he looked scared instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a painful moment Nicky thought that Booker was scared of him, that he thought he was rushing over to finish the job. But then he saw Booker start to raise his arm, the one that he was holding his knife with and Nicky made it back to him just as the blade came in contact with the sensitive skin of his neck. He grabbed Booker’s hand and pulled it away from himself, the younger tried to fight it but he was quickly losing strength. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nicky finally managed to wrench the knife out of his hand and he threw it far behind him. Booker’s knees gave out and Nicky caught him, slowly lowering him to the ground and pressed shaking hands onto the wound, pressing as hard as he could to stem the bleeding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Booker gripped his hands and tugged weakly to make him let up, “Please Nicky.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” he shook his head and looked towards the house, “Guys!” he yelled as loudly as he could, the door leading out was open so they’d hear him, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to hear him, “Joe!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop,” Booker coughed again and blood dripped out the corner of his lips, “please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not letting you die!” Nicky could hear footsteps approaching, “Just hold on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you hate me,” Booker groaned as Nicky pressed down on his chest harder, “but even this is too cruel.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” Joe slid down on his knees beside them, “He’s not healing?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god.” Nicky heard Nile gasp behind him, “I’ll call an ambulance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t.” Booker’s voice was weak but the command was still strong, “I’ll never forgive you if you save me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Book-” Andy fell to her knees on his other side, “Nile, call.” she ordered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Joe placed a hand on Nicky’s thigh and he looked up, his vision blurry with tears, “I stabbed him.” he choked out and Joe’s gaze softened, “I didn’t know.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nicolo,” Booker stopped tugging at his hands to squeeze it instead, “It’s okay.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t. This was so far from okay. His feelings for Booker may have been conflicted for a while but one thing had remained true through it all; he loved him. Booker was his little brother no matter how damaged he was, and when they first found him he had sworn to himself that he’d protect him. He was looking up at him now, tears in his eyes as he silently begged him to let him die. It was so messed up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not like this.” Nicky choked, tears and snot streaming down his face as his face contorted in pain and sadness and utter helplessness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Her’s came back.” Booker said weakly, glancing at Andy, “I can’t risk it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nicky felt his heart break all over again as he realised what he was talking about. Andy’s immortality came back and they didn’t know why or how, just like they didn’t know why it went away to begin with. He didn’t want to lose Booker but somewhere in his mind he knew he needed to let him go and he stopped pressing down on the wound as hard, he wasn’t quite ready to stop completely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sebastien.” Andy sighed and reached out to cup the side of his face, “You’re still in this shitty game with me, remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be.” a tear escaped and slipped down his temple, “Please.” he begged again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nicky knew the others were talking around him but it was all muffled under the sound of blood rushing in his ears. Joe was holding Booker’s hand and Andy was still holding his face in her hands, wiping the tears that slipped out with her thumbs. Nicky was vaguely aware that Nile had joined them on the ground at some point but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her, or any of them, really. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Nicky sobbed, any other time he’d probably be embarrassed by the way his voice cracked but he needed to say it, “I’m so sorry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay.” Booker said again, smiling slightly, “This is a gift you’ve given me Nicolo. Thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Booker’s eyes fell closed just as the sirens could be heard in the distance. The paramedics made them move out of the way for them to help Booker and Nicky wasn’t sure if he wanted them to succeed. He wanted Booker to live but he didn’t doubt his words from earlier, he’d resent them and Nicky felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest when he realised he’d most likely kill himself at the first opportunity he got. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Booker had been right about one thing back in the laboratory, Joe and him would never be able to understand the pain he felt. It was selfish of Nicky to want to take this chance of a final rest away from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m very sorry-” one of the paramedics started, tone sad, “but he lost too much blood. He’s gone.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure what came over him but he threw himself down on the ground by Booker and wrapped his arms around him, desperately pulling his lifeless body into his lap as he cried and cursed the heavens for doing this to them. The others gathered around him again as they sobbed and whispered broken apologies and prayers for his soul to be well taken care of in whatever afterlife he ended up in.   </span>
</p>
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